In his essay “Space”, Tweed points out that a space …show more content…
The construction of the First Temple is interrelated to the economic power of the United Monarchy. Solomon conscripted seventy thousand laborers and eighty thousand stonecutters, and they “quarried out great, costly stones” to build the foundation of the temple. He traded King Hiram of Tyre twenty thousand cors of wheat and twenty cors of fine oil for cedar and cypress, and then used boards of cedar to line the walls of the temple and overlaid the whole house with gold “in order that the whole house might be perfect” (1 Kings 6:22). He also placed cherubim of olivewood covered by gold in the temple and added exquisite engraving to the walls and doors (1 Kings 5-6). All these abundant labor force and expensive materials used in the construction of the temple not only show King Solomon’s loyalty and respect to Lord, but also demonstrate the prosperity and wealth of his kingdom, thus enhanced the kingdom’s position in ancient Near